harton



P. D. HARTON, DECD.

M. 1. HARTON, sxzcumx.

CAKE COATING MACHINE. APPLICATION msn Aue zo. 19x5.

Patented May 20, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

P. D. HARTDN, DEC'D m.1. m; EXECUTRIX. CAKE COATING MAGHlNE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.20. .915.

Patented May QO, 1919. \2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

PEMBROKE D. HARTON, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA; MARY J'.

HARTON EXECU'IRIX 0F SAID PEMBROKE D. HARTON', DECEASED.

CAKE-COATING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. May 20. 1919.

Application filed August 20, 1915. Serial No. 46.539.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PEMBROKE D. I-IARTON, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Cake-Coating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines employed for the coating of edibles such as cakes, crackers, confectionery and the like; and the object of my invention is to provide an improved combined an endless carrier for movement of the cakes to and from the coating receptacle; my improved table being designed to raise and lower the endless carrier at a point beneath said coating receptacle.

In one form of my construction supports for the endless carrier are raised and lowcred with the table, while in another form the table moves independently of any other supporting means'for said endless carrier.

These and other features of my invention are more fully described hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a side elevation of sufficient of a cake coating machine of the general type illustrated in my Patent 1,036,108, to which my invention has been applied showing the table and endless carrier in one position; i

Fig. 2, is a similar elevation showing the table and endless carrier in another position III-III,. Fig. 1;

-Fig. 4, is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1, illustrating amodified construction within the scope of my invention;

Fig. 5, is a-view similar to Fig. 4, showing the mechanism in a diiferent position, and

Fig. 6, is a cross sectionalview on the line VIVI, Fig. 4:.

In the operation of cake coating machines it has long been the practice to elevate the carrier for the objects to be coated for the purpose of bringing a row of such ob ects into operative relation with respect to the nozzles ofthe depositing or'coating apparactice has'been to raise the entire belt. his'is objectionable in many ways.' In the first place, the endless carrier is usually of a considerable extent and carries cakes or other objects spread form of table with which is Fig. 3, is a sectional elevation on the line over the surface of the same, and the ver-.

tical movement of such carrier coupled with the longitudinal movement imparted thereto has a tendency to disarrange the objects to be coated and prevent proper deposition of the coating material.

In my improved construction I provide means for lifting or flexing the belt at a point directly below the depositing nozzles; this being the only portion of the belt to which vertical movement is imparted, and this vertical movement takes place during the time when no longitudinal movement is being imparted to the endless carrier; hence there is no danger of disarranging the cakes or preventing the proper disposal of the same with respect to the depositing nozzles.

In the structure shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the side frame 1 of the machine is indicated by broken lines, and 2 is a driving roller sultably journaled in said frame; mechanism being provided, common to machines of this character (not shown) for driving said roller. Passing around this roller is an endless carrier belt 3 for the objects to be coated, which belt passes over an idler 5, thence under the depositing mechanism to a knife edge member 6 adjustably secured to the frame of the machine; the belt returning therefrom over an idler 8 to the driving roller 2. I

The table or bed-plate which is vertically movable beneath the depositing mechanism for the purpose of bringing the cakes or other objects to be coated to a convenient point'beneath said nozzle upon the lift thereof, and of breaking the connection between the material on the. cakes and that flowing from the nozzles, isindicated at 10. This table or bed-plate extends across the machme and has end projections or portions 11 adapted to guides 12 mounted on the side frames, and is vertically movable in said guides with respect to the nozzles, one of which is shown at 13.

For the purpose of operating this table or bed-plate, the following means may be provided:

15 represents a shaft or spindle extending across the machine and having arms 16 preferably with a curved upper surface which underlies said bed-plate. On the opposite side of this shaft or spindle a slotted arm 18 iscarried, which may be disposed outside the frame, and adjustably connected to said slotted arm is a link 19; the lower end of which may have a strap connection with an eccentric on a shaft 20, or is in operative engagement with a cam 21 whereby suitable movement may be imparted. It willbe seen, therefore, that upon rotation of the cam or eccentric, as the case may be, theshaft or spindle 15 will be rocked to move the arms 16 to raise and lower the bed plate or table, and the extent of such movement may be determined by the position of the link connection with the slotted arm 18.

In the form of my improved apparatus, I provide the upper runs of the endless carrier or apron with supports between the table or bed-plate and the idler roller 5 on the one side, and between said table or bedplate and a point adjacent the knife edge 6 on the other side, and the inner ends of these supports rise and fall with the table.

By preference, I employ sheet metal plates indicated at 2% and 25; the plate 2% havinga pivotal connection at 26 with the vertically movable bed-plate or table 10; its outer end resting upon a ledge. 27 extending between the sides of the frame adjacent the idler roller The sheet metal support 25 is secured at its outer end to a cross bar 28 carried by the frame of the machine adjacent the 'knife edge 6, while its inner end is free and rests upon a ledge 29 at the side of the bed-plate or table 10.

The knife ed e member around which the endless belt passes is of the usual type common to machines of this general character,

andis mounted in suit-able carriers which may be adjusted as desired to keep the end less carrier or belt taut.

The belt is given a step-by-step movement by mechanism common to machines of this type and for which no extended description or illustration, is necessary, and the cakes as they are carried forward. by the apron fall over the knife edge ontoboards or other carriers conveyed by the belt 30,.by which they, are removed from the machine;

In the form of structure shown in Figs.

4:, 5 and 6, a slightly different arrangement is provided, and in this construction there are no supports forthe belt movable upwardly with the bed-plate in the sense in which such arrangement is applied in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In this construction, the table or bed-plate '10 is provided with operating means substantially similar to that illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but in addition it carries a substantially horizontal support3l extending a. short distance forwardly ofsaid table or bed-plate and underlying the endless carrier or apron so as to support the cakessubstantially horizontal during and after the deposit of the materialthereon.

At the rear of the bed-plate 1 provide a support 32, preferably of sheet metal, which is hinged at 38 to the side frame of the machine adjacent the idler roller 5, and is adjustable asdesired' so as to lie substantially horizontal when the apron is feeding forward. The inner end of this table or support 32 isfreely movable and is maintained in its adjusted position, whatever that is desired to. be, by means of arms 3st carried: by a shaft or spindle 35 having at one end a ratchetwheel- 36 with a pawl 37 for engagement therewith whereby the position of said arm may. be altered at will and properly held. The belt sup-port forward of the bed plate or table is' rigidly connected thereto, and by preference I provide counterbalancing means at the rear of said. table or bed plate, which may consist of rods 38 secured to the outer ends of said vertically moving table orbed-plate, which rods are connected by springs 38 to the frame of the machine.

In the operation of this form of structure, the plate or. support 32' remains in its ad'- justed' position while the endless apron is raised from the surface of" the same, while the support 31 forward of the table rises with the latter.

Beyond the support 31 I provide a belt supporting plate 25' which is connected at its farther end to a cross bar 28 pivoted at 39 adjacent the knife edge 6. The inner end of this plate 25 may be held at various heights with respect to the belt by a structure similar to that for adj ustably supporting the inner end of the plate 32; a shaft or spindle being journaled in the side frames and carrying arms 34 underlying the table; such shaft or spindle having a ratchet wheel 36 at one end with a pawl 37 to hold it in adjusted positions and maintain the inner end of saidplate or support 25 at the proper height;

The improved table construction whichI have described is. intended: to be used with cake feeding means of. the type illustrated in my Patent No. 1,216,230, dated February 13,1917, which: feeding means are-disposed so as to feed cakes onto the belt 3 adjacent theidler roller-'5 over whiclrsaid belt passes.

I claim:

1. The combinatiomina cake. coating machine having an endlesstraveling'beltifor carrying, cakes beneath a fixed depositing receptacle havingr downwardly discharging nozzles, of a narrow, vertically movable. table positioned; beneath said. nozzles, fixed guides forthe ends of said table; said table having itsv greatest length at right anglesto the traveling belt which passes over it, lever mechanism for lifting, said table and the overlying: belt, to, a position directly be-' neath said depositing nozzles to'bring the cakes into'cotiperative relationtherewith, means for actuating saidlever mechanism at regular intervals, andi'supplementalsupports for'theendlessbelt at the front and rear of said table; one portion of said supplemental supports rising and falling with the narrow table.

2. In a cake coating machine, the combination with an endless traveling belt for carrying cakes beneath a depositing device having downwardly discharging nozzles adapted to register with rows of cakes carried by said endless belt, of a narrow vertically movable table for lifting said endless belt to an operative position beneath the nozzles, guides for the ends of said table,

cam-operated lever mechanism for raising said table, the same lowering by gravity, a supplemental support for the belt fixed to the forward part of said table, and counterbalancing means for said supplemental support comprising arms carried by the table opposite the support and springs connected to the free ends of said arms.

8. The combination, in a cake coating machine having an intermittently moving endless belt for carrying cakes beneath a fixed depositing receptacle having nozzles discharging downwardly, of supporting rollers for said belt, a narrow, vertically movable table disposed beneath said nozzles, fixed guides for the ends of said table; said table having its greatest length at right angles to the traveling belt which passes over it, a shaft or spindle, arms carried by said shaft or spindle and in operative engagement with the table, a cam for moving said arms to elevate the table and that portion of the belt directly beneath said nozzles for the purpose of bringing the cakes into cooperative relation therewith, and supplemental supports for the belt at front and rear of said narrow table; one of said supplemental supports rising and falling with the table.

4. A cake coating machine comprising an intermittently moving endless belt for carrying cakes beneath a fixed depositing receptacle having nozzles discharging downwardly, a narrow, vertically movable table disposed beneath said nozzles, fixed guiding means for said table; said table underlying the traveling belt and having its greatest length at right angles thereto, piVOted arms in operative engagement with the table, a cam for moving said arms to elevate the table and that portion of the belt directly beneath said nozzles to bring the cakes into cooperative relation therewith; said table lowering by gravity, a supplemental support for the belt fixed to the forward part of said table, and counterbalancing means for said supplemental support at the opposite side of the table.

PEMBROKE D. HARTON.

Witnesses:

MURRAY O. BOYER, WM. E. SHU'PE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

